


If You Will Promise Me Your Heart

by Lionswaps (Pyropesy)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Kallurance - Freeform, Knight Keith (Voltron), Knight Lance (Voltron), Multi, Princess Allura (Voltron), Tournaments, Voltron Rarepair Flash Bang 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2018-12-19
Packaged: 2019-09-22 18:11:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17064620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pyropesy/pseuds/Lionswaps
Summary: Altea hosts a tournament where knights can compete for Princess Allura’s hand in marriage. Allura is bored by the entire ordeal and unimpressed by the contestants.That is until, young knights Lance and Keith come stumbling in and capture her interest… even if they introduce themselves by falling over the castle wall and crushing her favourite flowers.





	If You Will Promise Me Your Heart

**Author's Note:**

> This was my piece for the [VLD rarepair flash bang](https://voltronrarepairflashbang.tumblr.com/) back in September. I was paired with the super talented [giabella101](http://giabella101.tumblr.com/) on tumblr who illustrated the CUTEST thing for this fic. Check out their work! 
> 
> Honestly this was a little hard to write simply because keeping things short, simple and sweet goes against my entire nature lol. There's a much longer version of this fic in my head that is at least 6 chapters long and has an extensively fleshed-out plot. Maybe I'll write it one day when I'm feeling less miserable about s8. 
> 
> Title is from [For the Dancing and the Dreaming](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLcrxhE_xQw) from HTTYD2 because it’s a cute song

Princess Allura was not opposed to marriage. She was of age, and had long accepted her duty to the Altean kingdom as King Alfor’s only child and heir to the throne.

Still, regarding the upcoming tournament her father had arranged- wherein noble-born knights from Kingdoms far and wide would compete for her hand- she found herself bored out of her skull. At the end of the ordeal she would choose between the victors, but every contestant who’d introduced themselves so far had been insufferably dull at best. At worst, pompous and dripping with insincere flatteries.

The past few days had been an exhausting whirlwind of new faces, none of which she wanted to become familiar with. She’d given up thinking there was anyone in the horde of suitors the least bit exciting. Allura couldn’t take one more stuffy old knight rattling off his list of ‘unrivalled accomplishments’ in an effort to impress her.

She’d slipped by her guards and taken reprieve in her garden, crouching down to admire her prized bush of juniberry blossoms. Allura took a deep breath, enjoying the crisp evening air and the rare moment of quiet.

It didn’t last.

A hushed commotion broke out from the other side of the castle’s wall, spoiling her stolen moment of peace.

“Lance! Get down,” one voice said in a heated whisper.

“I’m  _telling_  you,” the other hissed back, “this is the quickest way to the kitchens!”

Allura listened in warily, eyes narrowed. Were thieves trying to break in?

“You’re gonna hurt yourself if-  _Lance!_ ”

There was a sudden shout, and a figure crashed heavily to the ground at her feet.

Directly on top of her favourite flowers.

Allura yelped in alarm, jumping backwards. The intruder rubbed their backside tenderly before looking up. The moment he saw her, his jaw dropped open.

They stared at each other in startled silence. Then, bewilderingly, the young man reached behind him and plucked one of the ruined blossoms.

“A flower for you, my lady,” he announced, presenting the crushed blossom to her with a bright, shameless grin. Allura blinked. Wordlessly, she took the flower, watching dumbfounded as a petal broke off and fell sadly to the ground.

 _Um_ , Allura intelligently thought.

A voice from above shattered the awkward moment. “Lance! Are you okay?”

She snapped her head up to see the owner of the second voice, their shaggy black hair and pale face peeking over the top of the wall. The person took in the scene, and when he spotted her he froze, dark eyes widened in awe.

“Um,” Allura said.

The person’s face flushed red, and with a strangled squeak he darted back out of view.

There was shouting in the distance; the guards hearing the small commotion and rushing to find her. The intruder at her feet scrambled upright, bowing messily as he retreated the way he’d come. “Farewell, beautiful maiden! See ya ‘round!” he laughed, then spun around and made a mad dash to scale back up the wall and out of sight.

Allura stood in stunned silence long after they’d left, flattened flower still held in one hand.

 _Well_ , she thought.  _That was certainly an interesting encounter._

🖤

Over the next few days, she learnt these things;

Their names were Lance and Keith. Both were knights hailing from rival kingdoms, though that rivalry did not seem to deter them from forging a close friendship.

Keith could always be seen with a sword at his hip. Lance was apparently adept with a broadsword, but she’d heard wind that above all he was a gifted archer.

They were younger than most of the suitors that had gathered for the tournament and…  _lacked decorum_ , to put it kindly. Whenever Allura wandered into the training facilities that were free for use between events- where despite her frequent visits, she noted, she’d never  _once_  seen the duo - she was met by knights bowing stiffly as she walked past, or else clamouring for her favour with apathetic, silver-tongued flatteries.

Keith and Lance, on the other hand, regarded her more informally.

She’d often see them lounging around the grounds. Lance, who always seemed to be pressed against Keith’s side while he talked his ear off, would stop mid-sentence to wave to her, grinning widely. He’d brazenly call out a greeting which she never answered past a curt nod.

(Though she couldn’t quite stop herself from returning his smile.)

Keith was more reserved, glancing away whenever they made eye contact. The way his scowl would soften whenever they crossed paths didn’t escape her notice, nor did the tiny, flustered smile that met his lips.

Perhaps some would consider their manner impudent. Allura found she didn’t much mind.

🖤

Instead of preparing for their events, apparently Keith and Lance had spent their time here befriending two of the stable hands, Pidge and Hunk. Allura had wandered down to the stables one morning and was met with a ridiculous sight;

Keith and Pidge were perched high on the others’ shoulders, whacking at one another other with wooden training swords as Lance and Hunk stumbled around in a messy circle.

“Princess!” Lance greeted, turning abruptly to face her so that Keith was left careening for balance. “You wanna referee?”

She paused. There was a meeting she had to be at soon, and she didn’t have time for childish games.

Pidge swiped at Keith while the two knights were distracted, and his arms pinwheeled as he toppled forwards into the other two. Hunk’s arm flailed and caught Allura heavily in the shoulder, and she stumbled along with them.

All five of them toppled over into a heap of tangled limbs, and for a moment they lay there, groaning. Allura sat up on bruised elbows. Her gown was stained with dirt, her perfectly styled bun unravelling into wisps of white around her face.

Laughter bubbled unrestrained from her chest. The sound was carefree in a way she hadn’t felt since she was little, before all her spare time became folded away into duty and diplomacy.

The laughter caught, until they were all lost in it.

🖤

The archery event had been dragging on for hours, and Allura was falling asleep. The competitors were mediocre at best- spending long minutes lining up their shots with underwhelming results. She sighed, fidgeting in her seat and forcing herself to sit up straighter.

Someone sat down heavily in the chair beside her, and she turned to see Keith, his arms crossed and glowering down at the arena below them.

Allura blinked, taken aback at his bold behaviour- to sit by the princess without invitation was an audacious action. Still, she found that she wasn’t particularly inclined to dismiss him. He cleared his throat, glancing at her awkwardly out of the corner of his eyes.

“You know,” he started, trying too hard to sound casual. “Lance is really good at this. Best I know.”

The tips of his ears reddened as she remained quiet. A smile curled her lips.

“Are you perchance trying to endear your friend to me, sir Keith?” she suggested, a teasing lilt to her voice. He turned to face her, his brows pinched nervously.

“Is it working?” he asked. He sounded earnestly hopeful, and Allura was startled at the flicker of fondness she felt at the endearing display. She looked back to the arena.

“We’ll see,” she said, coy.

Keith didn’t try to make conversation for the remainder of the event, but she rather enjoyed his quiet company.

🖤

Keith hadn’t been exaggerating Lance’s skills. He’d outshone all his opponents and won by a landslide, and for the first time since the tournament had started, Allura found herself genuinely impressed as she applauded.

She told him as much after the event.

“Oh, that was nothing,” Lance dismissed with a flustered laugh, though he looked delighted by the compliment. “You should see Keith joust; _that’s_  impressive.”

She hummed curiously, prompting him.

“He’s only like,  _the best._  Wins every time. He’s so cool and funny and attractive-”

“Attractive, hmm?” she smiled slyly.

To his credit, Lance’s cheeks only went a little pink. “Well, yeah, have you seen him?” he said.

Allura had. She didn’t consider herself a shallow person but, well, yup. There was certainly a lot there to appreciate.

She wasn’t here to fawn over  _Keith_  right now, though. (That could wait for later.) She leaned into Lance’s space until her lips grazed his ear. He swallowed.

“You’re not so bad yourself, sir Lance” she said quietly, and then turned on her heel and calmly walked away, hiding her wicked grin from view as Lance was left flushed and stammering in her wake.

🖤

Keith was unbeatable in the jousting event, dealing swift victories over all his opponents. His form, though near-perfect, had faltered once or twice. Allura was certain it was because he’d noticed her watching him; she could see his reddened ears all the way from the stands.

The thought made something in her chest curl in delight.

🖤

The tournament drew to a close, with Keith and Lance the only two left standing. As per the arrangement, Allura would be expected to choose one of them to ask for her hand.

The cheers and applause of the arena died down as she ascended the steps of the dais, where the two knights were waiting for her in a kneel. Calmly, without fanfare or hesitation, she walked to them and placed a hand on both of their shoulders.

They looked up at her with wide, disbelieving eyes, and she nodded her confirmation with a warm smile.

She saw no reason to have to choose.

Keith and Lance rose to their feet, grinning wildly as the crowd cheered. As they each took one of her hands and planted a soft kiss to her knuckles, Allura threw her head back and laughed with joy.

She had a feeling life wouldn’t be quite so dull anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> I very much enjoy the idea that, instead of competing for Allura's affection, Keith and Lance would put their very best effort into aggressively playing wing-man for each other. Allura is greatly amused by this. 
> 
> I'm not used to (or tbh generally interested in) writing romance but Kallurance is the one vld ship I'm more than a tiny bit invested in (although the Allurance alone in s8 made me go from "I lowkey care about this romantic subplot I guess" to "sparing more than 2 seconds of thought for these two and the future they could of had together brings me great emotional pain" so a big screw you is owed to the last 10 minutes of VLD, which I am henceforth disregarding entirely. It's my finale now, and I say everybody lives, so there).
> 
> Anyway. 
> 
> There's a lot of content I'm gonna start uploading within the next few weeks. The rest of Pride, for one thing, and hopefully the 2nd chapter of Haunted finally (though everything considered, even opening the document to work on that one is gonna be painful right now... we'll see.)  
> Sorry for my inactivity. Life's been rough the past few months and I've not been entirely well, but I think things are starting to settle down now :3 
> 
> hmu on tumblr [@lionswaps](https://lionswaps.tumblr.com/) if you wanna talk about Kallurance or Voltron or whatever. Big love y'all <3


End file.
